Prepayment attachment for gas-meters.



'Patented Apr. I7, |900.

C. M. BURTON. PREPAYMENT ATTACHMENT FOR GAS METERS.

(Application measepc. 26, 1809.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(N0 Model.)

.Il w .mw will Wm 0 ohms PETERS oo.. mum-uma.. WASHINGTON. l:4 c.

Patented Apr. I7, |900.

c. M. BuTuN. PREPAYMENT ATTACHMENT FOR GAS METERS.

(Application filed Sept, 26, 1899.)

2 Sheets--S'heet 2.

(No Modeh) NITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. BURTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TH'E NEW HAVENNOVELTY 'MACHINE' COMPANY, OE SAME PLACE.

PREPAYIVIENT ATTACHMENT 4FOR GAS-METERS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,803, dated April17, 190e.

n Application filed September 26, 1899. ASerial No. 731,701. (No model.)

To 'ctZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that 'L'CHARLES M. BURTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, county of NewHaven, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inPrepayment Attachments for Gas-Meters, of which the followingdescription, in connec# tion with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention has for its object the production of an improvedprepayment attachment adapted to be applied to an ordinary gasmeter, andit is in the nature of a modification of a similar kind of apparatuscovered by Letters Patent No. 635,730, granted October 2l, 1899, toCharles Luke, although, ofcourse, it can be employed in combination withother types of coin-controlled apparatus.

The present invention involves in its organization in the embodimentthereof repre-v sented in the accompanying drawings an adjustableprice-regulator, ascale, and a coperating pointer, one of said partsbeing controlled by the price-regulator, a controllingshaft, a wheellocated to operate said shaft, a coin-carrier located within theadjustable price-regulator, a coupling device operative with thecoin-carrier and actuated by a coin when the same is inserted in thecoin-carrier to unite said coin-carrier and wheel, a knob serving toactuate the coin-carrier, whereby when the knob is turned in onedirection the controlling-shaft may be operated to eiect the operationof the valve mechanism, and means for arresting the coin-carrier when itis in position to receive a coin.

The price-regulator in the present case is cylindrical, and it has aperipheral slot or opening located at a proper point to receive a coin,and itis mounted for rotation upon a xed shell,to which it may beclamped when set at an adjusted position, and it is equipped with'a stopadapted to be engaged by the coin-carrier on the retractive movement ofthe? latter, so as to assure the proper registration'o'fthe`coinreceiving openings in the price-regulator and coin-carrier,respectively.

The"di'sch`arg e of' the coin through a slot or opening inthe supportingshell or jacket for Lthe",c ylindrical price-regulatoruis effected inthe present case by a fixed stop, which is located in proximityto saiddischarge-slot and which is engaged by the coin-carrier. discharge ofthecoin from the coin-carrier uncouples the latter from thecontrollingwheel to which I have previously referred, so

that said coin-carrier can be turned backward to its initial positionwithout aecting the controlling-wheel, as the latter is ordinarilylocked against backward movement bya locking member of proper kind.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated the cylindricalprice regulator isprovided with a pointer which cooperates with a scaleset` above the price-regulator upon a fixed part of the apparatus,whereby the pointer may be set opposite a predetermined scale-mark uponthe scale to compensate for different prices in the gas at diierenttimes or in different places. p In the drawings, Figure l is atransverse sectional elevation, the section being taken oni the line 22, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation, the section being taken on the diagonal line 3 3, Fig.l, and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a face view.Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the price-regu# lator,ce,rtain other partsbeing removed. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the price-regulator.

The present improvements are readily adapted to different kinds ofgas-meters, and the appliance represented in the drawings includes inits organization a casing, as C, partonly of which is represented, whichis ordinarily attached to one side ofv the gasmetenin some suitablemanner and "which incloses the valve mechanism (not shown) and certainof the operating parts therefor.' The controlling or operating mechanismfor lthe valve, whereby to open the same, involves in its constructionin the form thereofV represented a spirally-grooved shaft 12,;whicl1 isadvanced in a manner common in this class of apparatus to secure theaction of the gascontrolling valve. What is represented as %e face orfront plate 13 of the casing C is s own as having the cylindrical shellldconveniently made integral with the casing and constituting a journalor support v fori the price-regulator P, which is shown as cylin- Thedrical and which is adjustable upon the internal cylinder or shell 14 to.secure the requisite quantity of gas, even Where the price of thek samevaries, by the insertion of a coin 5 of thelproper denomination, aquarter of a ed to enter the longitudinal groove" 19,l so' that blyturning the whe-e1 v17' to' 'what is; inustrated as the rightin Fig'. 1the shaft 12 will he' rotated and through the medium of a pin (notshown) fitted iny the Spiral groove 1'2" `vvill be moved forward,thereby securing" the operation of the gas-controllin'g` valve throughthe agency 'of intermediate mechani'snijneither of lWhich latter isrepresented in thedrawings, as the saine constitutes no part of thevpresent invention. Thuegworns'haft 1'2 at another part of its length issurrounded by the'sleeve or hub 20, shown as ezt'nding fintheright ofthecoin-'carrier A, (see Fig. 2,) itbeiiig iin'de-tstood that the iiuhof the carrier is 1"'csely supported 'npcn the in'shaft. Wh,` fn,however, the fcrcarir carrier is turned in the proper direction thewheel17 likewise will be turned, thereby to rot-ate 4th-eth's'tft 12 andcause the 'cd'n'seqi'ient t ,The piaitvei in the forni of a disk hasstahhuiai native 22, which fi'tsin the een time; and of `thetsuppottihjg-eyiiiidetit and se s, and iii 45 istituiti-ien ii-ange 2ansshown iii nigga, andthe disk er face-plate vmiras a @tritati sii-dinwardly-fitug@ aperture 24 to receive 4 "lecite y.port/ihn 25 of theoperating wheel 'heb W, and sainsieve partisan 4is sieby screws 26 ofotherwise 'to the hub 2o as fearpassiiig thtiigh the Yyiiiiaigef yuntiehtiy 1mi-g to ptimit Vthe isser. -ti ne; sentiti the pocket si ftherein-stfist-attainment initial points. 1t `teign be iihd'erstood thatthe pitite ih 'the toi' isiiitfidiied varies iiia'tti A isceuplsd to'the whenv 17 and sain g of the gsftoiitrniiig van@ l1 of 'the "tiwi'can hie threaded engagement with the annu-V htf the meiieycatrier,which it embraces, so

cord ance 1wlt-h the price of. gas, and the length i of the slot80`equals the degree of adjustment of the price-regulator, so that nomatter Where the initial or starting point of the coin-carrier may belocated the coin may be introduced through said slot, it beingunderstood that the initial or starting point is governed or controlledby the adjustment of the price-regulator Rand it will'be evident upon aninspection that the price-regulator always covers the slot 30 no matterhow said price-regulator may be adj lusted between certain limits.

The coin-carrier has the arms or side pieces and 3,6 closed .atl oneside, as 'at 37, and t open at the other to receivethe coupling deviceor pawl 38, Which is disposed in the path of the coin. The couplingdevice or pawl 38 is inthel natliie of a gravitative one, it beingpivot'ed, vas at '39, near itslwer end between the i or side pieces 35and 3'6 'of the coincarrier, and it is adapted by its .-ovvn 'Weight Thep'eripheyof the ontrlliiig'wheel 17 is lprovided with a series ofratchet-'teeth 4G, adapted to be engaged bythe 'spring-pav`v141, secured tothe casing 14, the pavl being' made snl'c'intly strong as yto'prevent back-ward moti'n of the 'vfvli'el 17 after its initialmovement. The face vof the Wheel 17 is 'provided with a secondseries ofAratcli,et-'teeth 21:2,z adapted to be en ed by thepavl `38 when thelatter is opera Led by a'coin, whereby the coin-carrier and Wheel 17maybe coupled, so as to effect 'the opeatioh'olf the-shaft 12 in rthelmanner heeinhefeterstt forth hy tiiiiiiig the handivheel 'Wt The pa'vrl,disposed inthe path or the @cih X as the sare y,is intenta in the4 ,an'times nite-"a and which isfifmtd iii the @fyiinderor shell 14.

The dischargenec'tiiig"stop,is denoted by SA., and it isshovvh cnsstingof aScreW in threaded engagement with the cylinder or shell 14, theh'ei.v df`v v'vhi'cl is lbated inside 'said cylinder and ismadecor'npttratively'7 long vand eoistitfuts the stop prop-erto be 'engagedby "he co1 carierA when' th'pocketor slot t-li'erine sters vwith 'the`discharge-sl'ot -50, d the coin-carrier will 'occupy the e 'td bydotted linesin Fig. 1. later? basin its periphery "slot of substantiallyT ion te ie'zeivcv the lcorre- -d slide t1.v (seje Fig. 1.)

P has a'do'wnwardly-'projettiiigstqp t, jd thereto and passingthrl'gli'theelongated-peripheral slot l30 in the cylinder, Mandi againstwhich the coin- IOO IIO

carrier A is adapted to abut, as represented in Fig. 1 by the fulllines, when it has reached its initial or stopping position, with itsslot 31 v in registration with the narrow portion of the slot 60. Whilethe stop 62 is xed to the price-regulator, its position of course willbe varied to change the stroke of the coin-carrierA in accordance withthe price of gas by the circumferential adjustment of thepriceregulator, and the slot 30 is made sufficiently long as to permitthe proper range of adjustment of the price-regulator, its oppositefaces being adapted to engage the end walls of the slot 30 when saidprice-regulator isV in either of its two extreme adjusted positions. Theslide is held in place by the plate 63, having an opening or slot 64,and the plate is secured in place so that its slot is adapted toregister with the narrow portion of the coin-slot and also with thecoin-slot 3l in the coin-carrier when the latter is in its initialposition, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. l. The slide 6l ofcourse moves with the adjustable price-regulator P, and it extendsoutwardly beyond the same and is provided with a downwardlyextendingstud or projection 65, adapted to enter the longitudinal groove 66 uponthe turning wheel W when the coincarrier is in its primary positionagainst the rigid` stop 62 on the price-regulator, so that the slide canbe freely drawn back to permit the insertion of a coin. The sleeveportion 25 of the turning wheel or knob W is furnished with an annularflange 65', separated from the plate 21 by a space equaling the diameterof the stud, so that the wheel can be turned after the slide has coveredthe slot 60; but if anyattempt be made to draw back the Vslide duringthe rotation of the wheel W the stud will strike against the annularprojection or flange 65, so that the slide cannot be drawn back.

In conjunction with the price-regulator P, I provide a pointer andscale, the pointer being denoted by and being shown as carried by andmovable with the price-regulator P,

while the scale 71 is xed to the outer plate -other receptacle.

13 of the casing or boxing C, and the scale is represented as consistingof a segmental or arc-shaped plate having a series of graduations ornotches 72 extending upward from the lower edge thereof, the graduationsor notches denoting the price of gas from one to two dollars a thousandfeet', with five-cent variations between the same, the stroke of thecoin-carrier which, it will be remembered, is governed by theprice-regulator being increased or decreased to conform to the price ofthe gas. In the present instance the pointer 70 is set opposite a markor graduation to deliver to the consumer twenty-live cents worth of gasat one dollar and thirty cents a thousand, but the position of thepointer can be regulated by circumferentially shifting theprice-regulator P to bring its pointer opposite a different mark, and ofcourse the stop 62 will be moved therewith to regulate correspondinglythe distance to betraveled bv the coin-carrier.

Any convenient means may be employed for clamping or holding theprice-regulator in an adjusted or desired position; but for this purpose1 have represented a clampingblock 75, adapted to receive the screw 76,which is in threaded engagement with the Xed casing or cylinder 14 andwhich projects through the peripheral slot 77 upon the bottom side ofthe price-regulator, the length of the slot 77 being approximately thesame as that of the slot 30 to permit the adjustment of theprice-regulator between the two extreme points thereof. By turning thescrew 76 to the right its head, which is countersunk in the block 75,will cause said block to engage against the periphery of theprice-regulator, thereby to firmly hold the latter in an` adjustedposition. By loosening the screw the price-regulator can be turned tobring its pointer 70 opposite the necessary mark or graduation 72 uponthe scale orindicator plate 71, and when the proper adjustment isobtained the screw will be tightened to cause the olamping-block to bindagainst said priceregulator, and it will be understood that the blockand its operating-screw are fixed relatively to the price-regulator. v

To insert a coin, the slide 61 will be drawn back, exposing the severalregistering-slots 64, 60, and 30, it being understood, of course, thatthe coin-carrier abuts against the fixed stop G2, When the coin isproperly seated in the coin-carrier, it acts against the pawl 38 andforces the point of the same between two of the side teeth 42, therebyforming a connection between the knob or wheel Wjand the`controlling-wheel 17, so that when said knob or Wheel is turned to theright the wheel 17 can be likewise turned to effect the rotation of theshaft 12 in the manner previously described, and this operationwillcontinue until the coin-carrier strikes the fixed stop S, wherebythe coin can pass out of the slot or pocket 31 in the coin-carrier andthrough the registeringslot 50 into a suitable drawer or (Not shown.)When the coin is thus discharged, the pawl 3S by its own weight willfall away from the face-teeth 4t2 upon the wheel 17, thereby uncouplingthe coin-carrier and thewheel 17, so that the said coin-carrier can bereturned to its primary .position by rotating the wheel W to the left oruntil said coin-carrier strikes the fixed stop or abutment 62 up theprice-regulator.

It will be understood, of course, that the slide 61 is closed after theinsertion of a coin, seas to permit the wheel W and the other partsconnected therewith to move forward.

While the coin-carrier A is reciprocated between its coin receiving anddischarging positions, it will be understood, of course, that the wheel17 never moves backward, Vas

K such motion is prevented by the spring-pawl l or locker 41.

The outer end of the coin-carrier ,A is c011- IOO IIO

i olii/,fasce tiguous to the inner circular surface of the casing 14:,and in case the coin during the against the opposite beveled`guide-'faces 80,

which mergeinto the side Walls of the slot 30,

Y so that said bevels or Wedge-surfaces will force the coin backwardbeyond the youter end of the coin-carrier, such motion continu- Iingg'radally until the coin is properly'seated` or until it can strikethe solid. inner face of the casing 14,'it being evidentupon aninspection of Fig. l that the beveled or wedge portion SOKmerges intosaid solid portion of the casing, which is an advantageous feature andwhich would not be the case if the end Walls of the elongated slot 30were suzbstan. tially radial tothe axis of the coin-carrier. f

The casing 14, over which the price-regulator P is slipped, has anopen-mouthed slot 85 leading into the elongated slot 30 and transverselydisposed relatively thereto `and which is adapted to receive the stop 62when the price-regulator is slid in place'.

The invention is not limited to the precise parts nor to the arrangementthereof hereinbefore described, .as these points may be variouslymodified within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secu robyLetters Patent,

1. Inan apparatus of the class specified, a controlling member, anadjustable price-regulator having a money-receiving slot, la vscale andcooperating pointer, one of said parts b0- `in g controlled by theprice-regulator, a knob,

a coincarrier connected with said knob and located vvi'thin saidadjustable price-*regulator, a device mounted upon the coin-'carrier andin position to be operated by a coin and to` be thereby coupled to saidcontrolling member, means forclampingtlie price-regulator in a iixedposition and a relatively-fixed stopsupported independently of thepriceregulator and located to stop themoveme'nt of the coin-carrier at apredetermined ,point.

2. In an 'apparatus of the vclass described, a controlling member, anadjustable pri-ceregulator having alperi-pheral money-receiving slot, ascale and cooperating pointer, one vof said parts being controlled bythe priceregul'ator, a knob, a coin-carrier connected to .said knob andlocatedwithin said adj ustable' price-regulator, a device mounted uponthe coin-carrier and in position to be -operated by a coin and to be`thereby coupled to said 4controlling member, means for vclamping `theprice-regulator in ay Xed position, means operativo "with theprice-regulatorl for stopping themovement of the coin-carrier when the'same is opposite said peripheral slot and', in positionv to receive acoin, and-a relativelyfixed stopsupported independentlyfof theprice-regulator and located to stop the Inoveme'nt of the coin-carrier.

3. Inan apparatus of the vclass described, a controlling member, anadjustable priceregulator having' a peripheral money-receivingslot,- alscale and cooperating pointer, one 0f` said parts being controlled bythe price- `regulator,a knob, a coin-carrier connected to said knob andlocated within said adjustable price-regulator, a device mounted uponthe coin-carrier and in position to be operated by a coin and to bevlthereby coupled to said controlling member, means for holdingthepriceregulator in -anadjusted position, a stop rigid on theprice-regulator and located to arrest the movement of the coin-carrieron the backward movement thereof when it is opposite said peripheralslot, and a stop supported independently of the priceregulator andlocated to stop the movement of the coin-carrier.

4L In an apparatus of the class described, a controlling member, alcylindrical and adjustable priceregulator 4having a peripheral rslot andalsofprovided with a fixed internal .internal stop 'vvl'i'en in V itsinitial or. starting position,'a device mounted upon the coin-car- 'rierand inposition to be operated by a coin and to thereby be coupled tosaid controlling member, means-for clamping the price-regulator inaiixedpositi'on, means operative with the price-regulator'for-stoppingthe movement l of the coin-carrier to leffect the discharge of a coin,`and means vfor preventing backward movement of said controlling memberafter the'coin-carrier khas been uncoupled therefrom. l

' 5. In an apparatus of theolas's described, a controlling' member, vacylindrical and adj ustable price-regulator havinga peripheral slot andalso provided with a fixed internal stop, a scale and cooperatingpointer, one of said parts being controlled 4by the price-regulater', aknob, a coin-carrier conn cete-d to said knob a'ndlocate'd Within saidcylindrical pricevregulator and adapted -to abut `ag'fainst saidinternal stop when in its initial or starting position,a device mountedupon the coin-carrier vand in position to be operated by a coin ment ofsaid lcontrolling member'after the coin-'carrier has beeniincoupledtherefrom, va slide upon said cylindrical price-*regulator adapted tocover- Vthe peripheral slot, and

-means on said knob 'for governing' the action Vof 4said slide. n

6. `In 'an apparatus of theclass specified, a

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controlling member, a cylindrical and adjustable price-regulator havinga peripheral slot to receive a coin and also provided with a fixedinternal stop, a scale located above the cylindrical price-regulator andconsisting of a segmental graduated plate, a pointer fixed to theprice-regulator, a knob, a coin-carrier, connected to said 4knob andlocated within said cylindrical price-regulator and adapted to abutagainst said internal stop when in its initial or starting position, adevice mounted upon the coin-carrier and in position to be operated by acoin to be thereby coupled to said controlling member, .means forholding the price-regulator in an adjusted position, and a part fixedrelatively to said cylindrical price-regulator and provided with a screwdisposed in the path of and adapted to arrest the movement of thecoin-carrier when the coindischarging point is reached.

7. In an apparatus of the class specified, a controlling member, acylindrical and adjustable price-regulator having a peripheral slot toreceive a coin and also provided with a fixed internal stop, acoperating scale and pointer, one of which parts is secured to saidprice-regulator, a fixed casing supporting said price-regulator andhaving a longitudinal slot the length of which is substantially equal tothe distance between the extreme graduations on said scale, a knob, acoin-carrier connected to said knob and located Within said cylindricalcasing and adapted to abut against said internal stop when in itsinitial or starting position, a device adapted to travel with thecoin-carrier and in position to be operated by a coin which is therebycoupled to said controlling member, and means for holding theprice-regulator in an adjusted position.

8. In an apparatus of the class specified, a controlling member, acylindrical and adjustable price-regulator having a peripheral slot toreceive a coin and also provided with a fixed internal stop, acoperating scale and pointer, one of which parts is secured to saidprice-regulator, a fixed casing supporting said price-regulator andhaving a longitudinal slot the length of which is substantially equal tothe distance between the extreme graduations on said scale, said casingalso having a beveled face located to engage a coin during the travel ofthe coin-carrier from its coinreceiving to its coin-dischargingposition, a knob, a coin-carrier connected to said knob and locatedwithin said cylindrical casing and adapted to abut against said internalstop when in its initial or starting position, a device adapted totravel with the coin-carrier and in position to be operated by a coinwhich is thereby coupled to said controlling member, and means forholding the price-regulator in an adjusted position.

9. In an apparatus of the class specified, a controlling member, acylindrical and adj ustable price-regulator having a coin-receivingperipheral slot and also provided with a fixed internal stop, acoperating scale and pointer one of said parts being secured to saidpriceregulator, a fixed casing supporting said priceregulator and havinga longitudinal circumferential slot the length of which is substantiallyequal to the distance between the extreme graduations on said scale andsaid slot being adapted to receive said stop, a knob, a `coin-carrierconnected to said knob and 1ocated within said casing and adapted toabut against said internal stop when in its initial or startingposition, a device adapted to travel with the'coin-carrier and inposition to be operated by a coin thereby to couple the coin-carrier tothe controlling member, a screw in threaded engagement with said casing,a clamping-block held in clamping engagement with the price-regulator bysaid screw, and a relatively-fixed stop disposed within said casing andin the path of the coincarrier.

10. In an apparatus of the class specified, a controlling member, acylindrical and adj ustable price-regulator having a peripheralcoin-receiving slot and also provided with a fixed internal stop andalso having an elongated slot, a coperating scale and pointer one ofsaid parts being secured to said priceregulator,a fixed casingsupporting said priceregulator and having a longitudinal circumferentialslot the length of which is substantially equal to the distance betweenthe extreme graduations on said scale, and said Vslot being adapted toreceive saidstop, a knob, a coin-carrier connected to said knob andlocated within said casing and adapted to abut against said internalstop when in its initial 0r startin g position, a device adapted totravel in the coin-carrier and in position to be operated by a coin,thereby to couple the coincarrier to the controlling member, a fixedstop disposed within said casing and in the path of the coin-carrier, aclamping device adapted to bind against the periphery of the cylindricalprice regulator, and a holding member for said clamping device connectedto the fixed casing.

InV testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES M. BURTON.

Witnesses: j

FRANK A. LANGWITH, D. C. SMYTH.

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